Judging by the crowd of retailers gathered this morning at the entrance to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center awaiting the start of Orgill’s 2025 Dealer Market, anticipation and expectations for the event were at an all-time high.
Thousands of retailers have gathered in New Orleans to attend the three-day show, which began today and will run through Saturday. Following this morning’s official event opening, attendees were greeted by nearly 1 million square feet of products, inspirational ideas and an eager group of vendors and service providers ready to lend their support and make 2025 a successful and profitable year.
In addition to the excitement being generated by the in-person show, the 2025 Dealer Market coincides with Orgill’s Spring Buying Event, which began Feb. 17 and runs through March 2. Almost all of the products on display in New Orleans are also available via Orgill.com. The online buying event is one of four seasonal online events Orgill holds throughout the year.
“With the rapid pace of change in the home improvement industry right now, we want to do everything we can to provide our customers with the products, services and support they need to be successful,” says Boyden Moore, Orgill’s president and CEO. “Hosting our 2025 Dealer Market concurrently with our online Buying Event helps remove any friction for our customers in accessing the tools they need to build their businesses and remain competitive within their trading areas.” Moore also issued a special welcome to the hundreds of new and prospective customers visiting an Orgill Dealer Market for the first time.
“We are excited to welcome a record number of first-time attendees at this Market, including new 1 customers and prospects, which we think indicates that the way Orgill goes to market and puts the customer first is truly resonating throughout the channel,” Moore says. “We have so many new visitors with us exploring everything Orgill has to offer. It’s such a great opportunity for them to talk to our existing and long-time customers to learn more about why so many retailers choose Orgill The value that a partnership with Orgill can offer retailers was evident to attendees as soon as they stepped onto the Market floor and were welcomed by more than 1,200 exhibitors, including representatives from the industry’s leading brands and most well-recognized names.
This year, this list included several of the new vendors Orgill announced just weeks before the start of the show such as GE Lighting, Sunnyside, Big Green Egg, and Feathered Friend, as a trusted and preferred distribution partner.” Broan/Nutone and more.
“Whether it is our long-term vendors who have supported our customers for years or newer relationships, our merchandising team is constantly working to create strong vendor partnerships that allow our customers to meet the unique needs within their trading areas,” says Clay Jackson, Orgill executive vice president, and chief operating officer.
From brand-new vendors to long-time attendees, all of the exhibitors at the Dealer Market are putting their best foot forward to offer Orgill customers access to the products they need with special Market-only pricing and promotions.
“I give a tremendous amount of credit to our vendors who understand how important these events are for our customers. The exhibitors here know that this event plays a key role in helping the retailers we serve plan their promotional buying for the year and the Market allows them to maximize their margin potential by taking advantage of show specials,” Jackson says.
Some of the biggest opportunities for retailers to leverage show specials were being found in the Seasonal Door Buster promotional areas, pallet buy areas, and the Flash Market deals.
“ The promotional buying is a huge value of the show,” says Darrell Baker, vice president of marketing and merchandising for the W.E. Aubuchon Company. “The tens of thousands of core items available at discounts with dating always make the time investment worthwhile. Then you have the Door Buster booking, which just tees up the promotional year. After that, the coupons, (planogram) discounts, and new item showcase discounts are always valuable. And those are just the warehouse programs. Vendors always bring their A-game to the Orgill Dealer Market as well. It all adds up to significant savings.”
Along with the opportunity to interact with industry-leading vendors, see the latest in products and assortments, and cash in on special buying opportunities, attendees are also using the show to gather ideas and inspiration from two fully merchandised concept stores, take part in dozens of educational sessions and hear the latest about the host of helpful retail services available to them through Orgill and its partners.
“We’ve got a detailed list of vendors we will meet with at the show. The Dealer Market is a great opportunity to see new products and take advantage of the many deals available,” says Matt Nichols, vice president of branch operations at Koopman Lumber. “The concept stores are our first stop Thursday morning, and we’ve budgeted two hours with our sales representative to walk them and hopefully take back some fresh ideas.”
A Showcase of Opportunities
With so much to see, Orgill has once again organized several of its most popular product and assortment presentations into special Showcase areas that allow attendees to see a curated selection of merchandise and programs all in one place.
“We understand that there’s a lot to take in at our Dealer Market, so we’ve put in a lot of effort to streamline the show floor for a more efficient experience,” says David Mobley, Orgill’s executive vice president of sales. “Our Showcase areas bring together some of the most popular product assortments and programs in one dedicated space. This allows customers to visit a single area and view all the related products and programs in one convenient location.
About Orgill:
Established in 1847 and headquartered in Collierville, Tennessee, Orgill is the world’s largest independently owned hardlines distributor with annual sales exceeding $3.7 billion. Orgill provides products and services to over 13,000 retail locations throughout the US covering all fifty states, all Canadian provinces and territories, as well as over 50 additional countries. Orgill serves a diverse range of businesses, including hardware stores, home centers, professional lumber dealers, and farm stores. For additional information, please visit www.orgill.com .
